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From Lampedusa to the European Parliament

On 8 November 2017, the Agency hosted a meeting with representatives of the project ‘Europe begins in Lampedusa’. Mr Renato Girelli from the European Commission, Mr Raffaele Ciambrone, representative from the Italian Ministry and Agency Representative Board member, Mr Tereke Bhrane, President of ‘Comitato 3 Ottobre’ together with a delegation of students and teachers from three Italian high schools from Lampedusa, Rome and Trieste, joined the Agency office in Brussels.

Following this meeting the delegation was received in the European Parliament by MEP Cecile Kyenge, vice-chair of the Anti-racism and Diversity parliamentary intergroup, and MEP David Sassoli, vice-president of the European Parliament.

During the Parliament meeting, Mr Raffaele Ciambrone introduced the project ‘Europe begins in Lampedusa’to a number of MEPs and other participants, and highlighted the role of the Agency as bridge between the ministries of education and for the involvement of European representatives. Mr Ciambrone talked about the symbolic and social value of the ‘Museum of Trust and Dialogue for the Mediterranean’, launched in 2016.

Mr Bhrane explained the role of the ‘Comitato 3 Ottobre’ and appreciated the commitment of the Italian government to establish 3 October as the official ‘Day of Memory and Hospitality’. This day commemorates the shipwreck in 2013 off Lampedusa, in which 366 people – men, women and children – lost their lives. Mr Bhrane proposed celebrating the Day of Memory and Hospitality on 3 October Europe-wide.

Students participating at the meeting explained their involvement in the project and showed their short films that they created, based on their research about migration and activities involving refugees.

During the meeting all MEPs showed interest in the project and were in favour of hospitality and dialogue among people of different cultures. MEPs expressed support for further initiatives in this framework, possibly with the involvement of the Agency.